MOGADISHU, Oct 4 (Reuters) – Somali government forces were fighting on Saturday to repel al Shabaab militants who stormed a high-security underground prison in the capital Mogadishu, a witness and the government said.
Godka Jilaow, near the Villa Somalia presidential palace compound, houses several fighters from the al Shabaab group, which has waged an insurgency in Somalia since 2007 and made significant advances in the countryside this year.
“We heard a huge blast at the cell gate and soon an exchange of gunfire started,” a paramilitary soldier in the area who gave his name as Ahmed told Reuters. “More forces were deployed to eliminate the fighters. (The) operation (is) still ongoing.”
AL SHABAAB CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
Residents near the area also confirmed the blast and exchange of gunfire.
Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack.
“We targeted the underground cell guarded by security forces. First it was started with a suicide car bomb and immediately infantry fighters went into the cell compound and they are fighting inside,” the group said in a statement, adding there were casualties and injuries among soldiers.
In a statement on state television’s Facebook account, the government said al Shabaab fighters used a car disguised as a vehicle from the security forces to blast their way in.
“Some of the fighters were shot dead. What’s going on is the last operation to eliminate the fighters who attacked the place,” the statement said.
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Suggested Topics:
Read Next
ago Africa category
October 3, 2025 Asia Pacific category
ago Sports category
The move could help speed the release of Israelis still held as hostages by Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Site Index
About Reuters
Stay Informed
Information you can trust
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world’s media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.